A barn raising bee on a farm in the Cottonwood district, north of Pense.

Saskatchewan's location and environment led to a strong cooperative spirit in the province. When faced with adverse conditions and hardships it was often neighbours helping each other out that got the job done. When the problems were external and farmers wanted a bigger say in the agricultural sector it led to the formation of organizations such as the Wheat Pool and the Grain Growers Association. These two components of the cooperative spirit had a profound impact on the province and the people.